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Archives for June 2015
Statement by The President on Trade Bill
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2015
Statement by the President
Today, Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives voted to help the United States negotiate and enforce strong, high-standard trade deals that are good for American workers and good for American businesses. That’s a good thing. My top priority as President is to grow the economy and open new avenues of opportunity for hardworking Americans. And today’s new economy demands we encourage new sources of growth and job creation, so that America remains vital, dynamic, and on the cutting edge. That’s what smart new trade agreements can do – agreements for fair and free trade that level the playing field for our workers, open new markets for our businesses, and hold other countries to the kinds of high standards that Americans are proud to hold ourselves to here at home. These kinds of agreements reflect the realities of a 21st century economy. These kinds of agreements make sure that the global economy’s rules aren’t written by countries like China; they’re written by the United States of America. And to stand in their way is to do nothing but preserve the long-term status quo for American workers, and make it even harder for them to succeed.
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) will expand workers’ rights, it will protect the environment, it will promote a free and open Internet, and it will support robust new measures to crack down on countries that break the rules – the same way we’ve brought dozens of new trade cases over the past six years, and won again and again. But as I’ve said before, new trade agreements should go hand in hand with support to American workers who’ve been harmed by trade in the past. Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is an initiative that would give roughly 100,000 American workers access to vital support each year. But it’s currently scheduled to expire soon. Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have renewed it. Republicans and Democrats in the House failed to renew it today – and that inaction will directly hurt about 100,000 workers and their communities annually if those Members of Congress don’t reconsider. I urge the House to pass TAA without delay so that more middle-class workers can earn the chance to participate and succeed in our global economy.
I thank the bipartisan group of Representatives who came together on behalf of America’s workers, our businesses, and our economy. And I urge the House of Representatives to pass TAA as soon as possible, so I can sign them both, and give our workers and businesses even more wind at their backs to do what they do best: imagine, invent, build, and sell goods Made in America to the rest of the world.
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Additional U.S. Steps in the Counter-ISIL Effort
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2015
Statement by the Press Secretary on Additional U.S. Steps in the Counter-ISIL Effort
In furtherance of his comprehensive strategy to degrade and destroy the ISIL terrorist group, President Obama has approved additional actions to enhance the implementation of the counter-ISIL campaign.
To improve the capabilities and effectiveness of partners on the ground, the President authorized the deployment of up to 450 additional U.S. military personnel to train, advise, and assist Iraqi Security Forces at Taqaddum military base in eastern Anbar province. The President made this decision after a request from Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and upon the recommendation of Secretary Carter and Chairman Dempsey, and with the unanimous support of his national security team. These new advisors will work to build capacity of Iraqi forces, including local tribal fighters, to improve their ability to plan, lead, and conduct operations against ISIL in eastern Anbar under the command of the Prime Minister. This effort will complement the efforts of U.S. and coalition trainers at the four previously-established training sites in Al-Asad, Besmaya, Erbil, and Taji, where over 9,000 Iraqi troops have already been trained, with an additional 3,000 currently in training. These additional U.S. troops will not serve in a combat role and will augment the 3,100 U.S. troops who have already deployed to Iraq.
This train, advise, and assist mission builds on lessons learned during the past several months and is just one aspect of our commitment to support the Iraqi Security Forces. Toward this end, the President has also directed the expedited delivery of essential equipment and materiel in coordination with the central government to Iraqi forces, including Peshmerga and tribal fighters, operating under Iraqi command, to ensure that our partners have the equipment needed to effectively fight ISIL.
The President also approved a comprehensive approach to aid the Iraqi government’s efforts to support the people and communities living in areas newly liberated from ISIL. At the President’s direction, the United States has been working closely with the Iraqi government, the global counter-ISIL coalition, and the United Nations to develop a holistic framework to help the Iraqi government provide sustained security, services and assistance, and local governance among other key support. The United States fully supports the development of an international fund facilitated by the United Nations to help these communities across Iraq recover.
More broadly, we will continue our efforts to leverage all instruments of power to counter ISIL globally and most importantly, to protect the US Homeland. Thousands of foreign fighters – including Europeans and some Americans – have joined ISIL in Syria and Iraq. We remain concerned that these trained fighters will return to their home countries and carry out attacks and seek to inspire supporters to conduct attacks at home, and the President directed his national security team to intensify efforts with coalition partners to stem the flow of foreign fighters to and from Iraq and Syria.
The President also reaffirmed U.S. support for the efforts of Prime Minister Al-Abadi and other Iraqi leaders to build an inclusive and effective governance structure within which all of Iraq’s diverse communities feel that they have a say in determining the future of their country. In this regard, the U.S. will fully support the plan endorsed by the Council of Ministers on May 19 for the liberation of Anbar, as well as the Iraqi Government’s priority of de-centralization to empower local communities in line with the Iraqi Constitution. This “functional federalism” effort being pursued by the Iraqi government is integral to ensuring that ISIL – once defeated – can never again return to Iraqi soil.
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U.S. Unemployment, Youth and Summer Jobs
(AURN) — The jobs numbers are out. There were 280 thousand jobs created last moth continuing the longest job growth streak, but there are at least two groups whose unemployment numbers rose.
Black and teen unemployment numbers rose upward. When we look at the summer months and the teen jobless numbers, it is an issue causing increasing concern. More from White House correspondent April Ryan. LISTEN: